Pratapgad Knowledge Guide
History
The Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj commissioned Moropant Trimbak Pingle, his prime minister, to undertake the construction of this fort in order to defend the banks of the Nira and the Koyna rivers, and to defend the Par pass. It was completed in 1656. The Battle of Pratapgad between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Afzal Khan was fought below the ramparts of this fort on 10 November 1659. This was the first major test of the fledgling kingdom's army, and set the stage of the establishment of the Maratha empire. Pratapgad continued to be involved in regional politics. Sakharam Bapu, a well-known minister of Pune, was confined by his rival Nana Phadnis in Pratapgad in 1778. He was later moved from fort to fort until he died at Raigad. In 1796, Nana Phadnis, while escaping from the intrigues of Daulatrao Shinde and his minister Baloba, assembled a strong garrison in Pratapgad before heading to Mahad. In 1818, as part of the Third Anglo-Maratha War, Pratapgad surrendered by private negotiation. This was a great loss to the Maratha forces, as Pratapgad was an important stronghold, had a large garrison, and could suppress much of the country around Wai. A 17 feet high equestrian bronze statue of Shivaji was unveiled by Jawaharlal Nehru, then Prime Minister of India, on 30 November 1957, the same year a road was constructed by the Public Works Department from Kumbhrosi village up to fort. A guest house and a national park were built inside the fort in 1960. The fort is currently owned by Udayanraje Bhosale, the heir to the former Satara princely state.
Tourism
Pratapgad is usually visited as a day-trip from the hill station of Mahabaleshwar, a popular tourist destination located 25 kilometres away. ST bus service have run daily excursion services to places around Mahabaleshwar including Pratapgad for decades. Many schools also arrange educational trips to the fort. The fort is also on many trekking routes of the area.